OPINION : Liverpool could miss key player for eight games at same time Mohamed Salah out for AFCON

OPINION : Liverpool could miss key player for eight games at same time Mohamed Salah out for AFCON

Liverpool will lose Mohamed Salah to AFCON in January. But he is not the only player that Jürgen Klopp will need to make a plan to be without for a month or so.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp will need a January plan

Liverpool underwent a huge change in midfield over the summer. In came Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endō, and out went Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and many more.

Over the course of the first half of the season as a whole, few would argue against it having been a successful period in which several upgrades arrived. The last few games have seen Szoboszlai’s form drop and Mac Allister get injured, but it is clear that the Reds are a much better side than last year — chiefly because the center of the pitch has completely flipped.

With Thiago Alcântara and Stefan Bajčetić still to return in the new year (and Mac Allister, Pep Lijnders said today, set to be out until then as well, meaning he will miss the next three matches), there are still improvements that can be made. But the injuries are beginning to mount.

Gravenberch was withdrawn against Manchester United. The former Ajax and Bayern Munich midfielder has since had a scan confirm that he is not injured but just has muscle fatigue, but he will need to be carefully managed over the course of the next few games, during a busy period and with alternatives already missing.

And next month, whether Thiago, Bajčetić and co are back and available for selection again or not, Liverpool will definitely lose another of its players that many have overlooked. Endō will be heading to the Asia Cup to represent Japan.

Mohamed Salah being at AFCON from January 13 is obviously the headline most spoken about, and understandably so. He is the only Liverpool attacker currently putting up the goalscoring and creativity numbers as the likes of Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez toil.

But given Endō looks in line to start the biggest game of the season to date against Arsenal on Saturday because Mac Allister is out, perhaps that should be given a little more attention. While Liverpool has a lot more midfield quality than it did last year, the depth is not huge.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.

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Currently on the sidelines are Mac Allister, Thiago and Bajčetić, while Gravenberch’s minutes need managing. Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are there, but Endō is currently a central part and a key player.

Liverpool would seal transfer early in ideal January as Jürgen Klopp faces two even bigger weeks

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